Digital service management in edge computing elements of content delivery networks

Abstract

This document describes methods and systems for delivering digital services to nodes of a distributed network. To do this, an edge server that is communicatively connected to a communication network receives, from a consumer node, a service request for a first requested digital service. The edge server (acting as a digital resource broker) also will receive, from each a plurality of service provider nodes, an identification of one or more digital service element capabilities that the service provider node is able to provide. The digital resource broker will identify a set of service provider nodes who have identified digital service element capabilities that are components of the requested digital service. The digital resource broker will create a channel that includes the set of service provider nodes and, for each node, its identified capabilities that are components of the requested service. The digital resource broker will generate a smart contract that identifies the requested digital service, the set of service provider nodes, and the identified digital service element capabilities that are components of the requested digital service. The digital resource broker will write the smart contract to a mutual distributed ledger and assign service elements to the nodes so that the digital service is delivered.

1 . A method of delivering digital services via nodes of a distributed network, the method comprising:
 by an edge server that is communicatively connected to a communication network, wherein the edge server comprises a processor:
 receiving, from each a plurality of wirelessly connected service provider nodes using a wireless communication protocol, an identification of one or more digital service element capabilities that the service provider node is able to provide, wherein each of the service provider nodes comprises an electronic device that is communicatively connected to the edge server via the communication network, 
 receiving, from a consumer node that is communicatively connected to the communication network and that comprises a processor, a first service request for a requested digital service, 
 identifying a set of the service provider nodes who have identified digital service element capabilities that are components of the requested digital service, wherein each of the service provider nodes also comprises a processor, 
 creating a channel that comprises the set of service provider nodes and, for each service provider node in the set, its identified digital service element capabilities that are components of the requested digital service, 
 generating a smart contract that comprises the requested digital service, the set of service provider nodes, and the identified digital service element capabilities that are components of the requested digital service, and 
 writing the smart contract to a mutual distributed ledger. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, by the edge server, executing the smart contract by, for each component of the requested digital service:
 determining whether one or more service provider nodes in the channel have identified digital service element capabilities that correspond to the component; and   when one or more service provider nodes in the channel have identified digital service element capabilities that correspond to the component:
 selecting one of those service provider nodes, and 
 assigning the component to the selected service provider node. 
   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising, by the edge server:
 monitoring the channel to confirm that the selected service provider node provides the component;   if the monitoring determines that the selected service provider node fails to provide the component, selecting an alternate service provider node and assigning the component to the alternate service provider node; and   if the monitoring determines that the selected service provider node provides the component, generating a digital certificate for the selected service provider node and saving the digital certificate to the mutual distributed ledger.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, by the edge server:
 securing a remote component of the requested digital service from a cloud server that is communicatively connected to the communication network; and   coordinating delivery of a local component of the requested digital service and the remote component of the first digital service to the consumer node.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the requested digital service comprises streaming audio, streaming video, data storage, or computer processing functions; and   the identified service element capabilities comprise data storage, computer networking or computer processing functions.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the requested digital service comprises streaming media; and   the identified service element capabilities comprise streaming digital media that is stored on in a memory of one or more of the service provider nodes.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 by a digital resource broker, arranging for a secured payment amount having a value that corresponds to a value of an elemental unit of a digital certificate,   wherein the digital certificate is configured to be presented by the selected service provider node in exchange for the secured payment amount.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the requested digital service is a data processing service, and the resource is a processor; and/or   a local component of the requested digital service is a data storage service, and the resource is a memory device.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising, by the edge server:
 securing a remote component of the first requested digital service from a cloud server,   wherein the cloud server comprises a streaming media service.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein selecting one of the service provider nodes and assigning the component of the first digital service to the selected service provider node comprises randomly selecting the selected service provider node from a set of candidate service provider nodes in the channel. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the edge server is distributed across a plurality of the service provider nodes. 
     
     
         12 . A system for delivering digital services via nodes of a distributed network, the system comprising:
 a plurality of service provider nodes that are communicatively connected to each other via a wireless communication network, wherein each of the service provider nodes comprises a processor;   one or more memory devices that are accessible to the plurality of service provider nodes, each of which stores a mutual distributed ledger;   one or more processors; and   one or more memory devices that contain programming instructions that are operable to instruct the one or more processors to function as a digital resource broker that will:
 receive, from a plurality of the service provider nodes, an identification of one or more digital service element capabilities that the service provider node is able to provide, 
 receive, from a consumer node that is communicatively connected to the communication network, a first service request for a requested digital service, 
 identify a set of the service provider nodes who have identified digital service element capabilities that are components of the requested digital service, 
 create a channel that comprises the set of service provider nodes and, for each service provider node in the set, its identified digital service element capabilities that are components of the requested digital service, 
 generate a smart contract that comprises the requested digital service, the set of service provider nodes, and the identified digital service element capabilities that are components of the requested digital service, and 
 write the smart contract to a mutual distributed ledger. 
   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the programming instructions that are operable to instruct one or more processors to function as a digital resource broker are also operable to instruct the one or more processors to execute the smart contract by, for each component of the requested digital service:
 determining whether one or more service provider nodes in the channel have identified digital service element capabilities that correspond to the component; and   when one or more service provider nodes in the channel have identified digital service element capabilities that correspond to the component:
 selecting one of those service provider nodes, and 
 assigning the component to the selected service provider node. 
   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the programming instructions for the digital resource broker are also operable to instruct the one or more processors to:
 monitor the channel to confirm that the selected service provider node provides the component;   if the selected service provider node fails to provide the component, select an alternate service provider node and assign the component to the alternate service provider node; and   if the selected service provider node provides the component, generate a digital certificate for the selected service provider node and save the digital certificate to the mutual distributed ledger.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising additional programming instructions that are operable to instruct the one or more processors to:
 secure a remote component of the requested digital service from a cloud server that is communicatively connected to the communication network; and   coordinate delivery of a local component of the requested digital service and the remote component of the first digital service to the consumer node.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the requested digital service comprises streaming audio, streaming video, data storage, or computer processing functions; and   the identified service element capabilities comprise data storage, computer networking or computer processing functions.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein:
 at least one of the service provider nodes includes a memory that stores digital media; and   the programming instructions further comprise instructions to, when the requested digital service comprises streaming media, instruct one or more of service provider nodes that store the digital media to stream the digital media to the consumer node.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising additional programming instructions that are operable to instruct the one or more processors to arrange for a secured payment amount having a value that corresponds to a value of an elemental unit of a digital certificate,
 wherein the digital certificate also may be presented by the selected service provider node in exchange for the secured payment amount.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising additional programming instructions that are operable to instruct the one or more processors to secure a remote component of the requested digital service from a cloud server,
 wherein the cloud server comprises a streaming media service.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the programming instructions to select one of the service provider nodes and assign the component of the requested digital service to the selected service provider node comprise instructions to randomly select the selected service provider node from a set of candidate service provider nodes in the channel. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the digital resource broker is distributed across a plurality of the service provider nodes.